Underrated Sets and Pokemon

I've been using this set ever since I first tried Xerneas. It's my first Xerneas set and helps glue my best team together. I recommend trying it if you have the time :)

Mixed Cleric Xerneas


Paladin (Xerneas)
Item: Leftovers Ability: Fairy Aura
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SAtk
Nature: Lonely
- Aromatherapy
- Close Combat
- Moonblast
- Rock Slide​

Mixed Cleric Xerneas is wonderful for a Balance or Stall team, as it provides not just reliable and powerful offensive pressure, but also team support through Aromatherapy. It's typing and Max HP give it many switch-in opportunities against many Ubers including Dakrai after it's 'Voided something, Yveltal, Palkia, Giratina-O, Giratina, and Choice Dragons (mainly Zekrom) if you're willing to take the risk. The Bulkier stat spread allows even more opportunities once a Pokemon on your team has fainted, and 1v1, this Xerneas set will beat low/no speed Pokemon like Groudon and Ho-Oh.

Truly, the nice base 99 speed tier allows for plenty of revenge killing and damage dealing against slower Pokemon, but it's the raw offensive pressure that allows it to beat teams. Fairy Aura gives STAB Moonblast more than enough power to get 2HKOs, while the physical EVs let Yveltal 2HKO Mega Kang, offensive Ekiller, Chansey, and Blissey.

I'd say the best thing about this set though is the reliability of Aromatherapy. Aromatherapy lets Xerneas instantly heal itself and the team. Winning 1v1 against status spreaders like Lugia is one thing, but potentially curing 6 Pokemon in one turn is an incredible treat and threat to your opponent's team. Toxic on everything indeed :toast:

It's not all good news though.
  • This set is hard-countered by Aegislash
  • It has severe trouble winning against 252 HP Arceus walls, but can use Aromatherapy against most without fearing a KO. Steelceus with WoW is a hard counter.
  • It can deal good damage to Scizor on the switch with Close Combat, but is destroyed by Bullet Punch.
  • It can't win against Specs/Scarf Ogre.
  • It does nice damage to mega Gengar but can't kill it.
Against these threats, bar Mega Gengar, the best option is to go for a teammate. Additionally, -Def causes a weakness to priority, but most common priority users are 2HKOd by Mixed Xerneas' attacks.

This Xerneas set is designed for Balance to provide team support, why not try it out?
 
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Will-o-wisp on mewtwo y! This makes up for its low defense and since so many physical attackers are sent in to deal with MMY, and MMY is faster than them, it's really easy to spread burns to them. Burning yveltal on its sucker punch is pretty cool. Don't see why no one really uses it.
Maybe it's just because of its awful accuracy.
 
Dialga @ Adamant Orb
Hasty/Naive (I prefer Hasty)
252 SpAtk/252 Spe/4 Atk (I don't really need full Spe but meh)
- Draco Meteor
- Flamethrower
- Thunder Wave
- Iron Head

Sorta lurish. I play him as I would play support Dialga usually starting the match if I see a Groudon on the other team. Adamant Orb gives x1.2 dmg to STABs so is almost like LO dmg. Draco Meteor takes care of Groudon and severely dent those Taunt Yveltals thinking you are setting up. Once you have used Draco Meteor, most Xerneas think you are choiced and would try to set up, that's when you cripple them with Twave (you can cripple lots of other stuff I guess) and hit it with SE Iron Head. The -2 SpAtk looks deceiving but Iron Head does around 75% to standard Xerneas which is considerable dmg. You might get lucky and get the paraflinch too against other opponents. Flamethrower so you don't get walled by Ferro/Scizor.
 
Dialga @ Adamant Orb
Hasty/Naive (I prefer Hasty)
252 SpAtk/252 Spe/4 Atk (I don't really need full Spe but meh)
- Draco Meteor
- Flamethrower
- Thunder Wave
- Iron Head

Sorta lurish. I play him as I would play support Dialga usually starting the match if I see a Groudon on the other team. Adamant Orb gives x1.2 dmg to STABs so is almost like LO dmg. Draco Meteor takes care of Groudon and severely dent those Taunt Yveltals thinking you are setting up. Once you have used Draco Meteor, most Xerneas think you are choiced and would try to set up, that's when you cripple them with Twave (you can cripple lots of other stuff I guess) and hit it with SE Iron Head. The -2 SpAtk looks deceiving but Iron Head does around 75% to standard Xerneas which is considerable dmg. You might get lucky and get the paraflinch too against other opponents. Flamethrower so you don't get walled by Ferro/Scizor.
Why not run Flash Cannon over Iron Head? You'll get the base 150 SpA boost + the Boost from your Adamant Orb, yet you'll still keep the STAB. A lot of Power Herb Xerneas' don't run Max Speed. You could put EVs into SpD so that you can tank a +2 moonblast and get the 2HKO. Iron Head is nice, but Flash Cannon will do more damage consistently (+ -Spec D chance). You also worry less about Burns from Support Arceus forms like Fairyceus and Rockceus.
 

Fireburn

BARN ALL
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Why not run Flash Cannon over Iron Head? You'll get the base 150 SpA boost + the Boost from your Adamant Orb, yet you'll still keep the STAB. A lot of Power Herb Xerneas' don't run Max Speed. You could put EVs into SpD so that you can tank a +2 moonblast and get the 2HKO. Iron Head is nice, but Flash Cannon will do more damage consistently (+ -Spec D chance). You also worry less about Burns from Support Arceus forms like Fairyceus and Rockceus.
Iron Head OHKOes Sylveon after SR and the 30% flinch chance goes well with Thunder Wave. Iron Head + TWave can potentially let Dialga beat Blissey for one. Flash Cannon can still work on that set but Iron Head is not a completely unreasonable pick.
 
flash cannon will get the -2 SpAtk drop. Also, if Xerneas uses Geomancy (while you Twave or before if he has enough Spe EVs) then Flash Cannon ain't doing much. I forgot to add that Adamant Orb sorta fakes a choice item similar to Lustrous Orb Palkia
 
Dialga @ Adamant Orb
Hasty/Naive (I prefer Hasty)
252 SpAtk/252 Spe/4 Atk (I don't really need full Spe but meh)
- Draco Meteor
- Flamethrower
- Thunder Wave
- Iron Head

Sorta lurish. I play him as I would play support Dialga usually starting the match if I see a Groudon on the other team. Adamant Orb gives x1.2 dmg to STABs so is almost like LO dmg. Draco Meteor takes care of Groudon and severely dent those Taunt Yveltals thinking you are setting up. Once you have used Draco Meteor, most Xerneas think you are choiced and would try to set up, that's when you cripple them with Twave (you can cripple lots of other stuff I guess) and hit it with SE Iron Head. The -2 SpAtk looks deceiving but Iron Head does around 75% to standard Xerneas which is considerable dmg. You might get lucky and get the paraflinch too against other opponents. Flamethrower so you don't get walled by Ferro/Scizor.
Decent attempt but with a -def (or sdef) nature and no bulk investment you lose out on the ability actually check something, and for HO this dialga is still slow. furthermore the utility lost for not using SR really sucks, meaning this dialga will be too one dimensional to fit onto a a balanced team properly. on HO your biggest problem is the limited coverage (without the appropriate moves you get owned my ho-oh, some defog arceus, sdef kyogre all which must not get free turns vs offense).
 
^ there are plenty of SR options out there. HO has Deo forms for example plus it wasn't implied to be used in that team style. I'm just posting a lure type set on an underrated sets thread.
 
there aren't really plenty of SR options out there and synergizing them with a one dimensional set like that one will lead to inherent flaws: groudons sun exponentially weakens you to ho-oh+blaze, lando-t is okay but doesn't really check any sweepers and also weaknens you to scarf ogre which sadly you wasted an excellent checks ability to actually check it, deo-s I already explained- the dialga set is defog bait for arceus formes such as water. for balance I already pointed out why the set is flawed- it doesn't provide necessary team compression (it can't check threats nor support with SR). i would have trouble building anything worth using with that set basically.
 
The problem with luring is that you're expecting your opponent to run a particular Pokemon or set. Instead, the better move is using sets which hit the most Pokemon possible. You want your team to win as much as possible, so you should play to win with the most consistency. Standard sets may be standard, but it's because they work. Work with what works :)
 
The problem with luring is that you're expecting your opponent to run a particular Pokemon or set. Instead, the better move is using sets which hit the most Pokemon possible. You want your team to win as much as possible, so you should play to win with the most consistency. Standard sets may be standard, but it's because they work. Work with what works :)
nah just adding on that luring is perfectly adequate for any offensive team- however that set doesn't lure out any of its normal counters and paves way for a sweeper late game which is the point of a lure. it instead hopes that the opponent has a geoxerneas and that it will set up on a mon that could potentially have roar, so in that regard you are correct.
 
nah just adding on that luring is perfectly adequate for any offensive team- however that set doesn't lure out any of its normal counters and paves way for a sweeper late game which is the point of a lure. it instead hopes that the opponent has a geoxerneas and that it will set up on a mon that could potentially have roar, so in that regard you are correct.
I agree. On an offensive team you need to take risks, switch at the right time, and put a lot of offensive pressure on your opponent's team. On a stall team you need each Pokemon to work together, and make smart switches to play around your opponent and chip away. It all depends on locoghoul's team.
 

Disaster Area

formerly Piexplode
Xerneas @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Fairy Aura
EVs: 20 Def / 252 SAtk / 236 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Sleep Talk
- Moonblast


An interesting set Fixed gave me.. I guess, world's best sleep absorber.. just posting it cos it's interesting :3
 
That seems like a pretty inefficient way to use Xerneas. Considering how situational that set is, I would just run a more conventional scarf set with more coverage if you really need it; if you're planning on switching in on Darkrai (to give one example) and revenge killing it, you're giving a steel-type on the other team a safe switchin.
 

Disaster Area

formerly Piexplode
I think the idea of his set was that moonblast spam is strong versus just wrecking darkrai..
Either way I think it's a shit set too xD
 
Aegislash @ Leftovers
Ability: Stance Change
EVs: 252 HP / 108 Atk / 148 SDef
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spd
- King's Shield
- Substitute
- Gyro Ball
- Toxic

I've been playing with Sub Aegislash and it seems to have some potential. This set functions with the goal of stalling out physical attackers and more defensively oriented opponents. I run it alongside CB Ho-oh and Rockceus w/Will-O-Wisp (which means that burn is all over the place) and it basically always succeeds 1-v-1 as long as the opponent has a damaging status and I can get a sub up. It plays similarly to how one would play a Sub/Protect Gliscor, with the obvious distinction that Aegislash lacks the recovery to consistently maintain the alternation of Substitute and Protect. Thankfully, having King's Shield means that if you can connect with an incoming physical attack, your subs will often begin taking two attacks to break, which leads to more lefties recovery and potential GB chip damage. I run 108+ Atk to guarantee the OHKO on +2 Xern with Gyro Ball, but some of that could be funneled into SDef or Speed depending on the team's needs.

[EDIT@BELOW]: Nice catch
 
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Arceus @ Dread Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 252 HP / 96 Spd / 160 Def
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Recover
- Refresh
- Judgment

Now, I'm not amazing or that good at Ubers, but this guy has gotten many buffs, yet is still not used that often. Being one of the best stall-breakers to team that don't have a Specially Defensive Dark resist (especially Unaware Clefable), it has worked very well for me so far. Calm Mind is the center of the set, giving Darceus 414 SpAtt at +1 and 552 SpAtt at +2. It's Special Defense also makes it extremely bulky on top of 120/120 defenses. Now, imagine how powerful a 180 BP move off of 414 SpAtt is. Yeah, its so powerful, it has a good chance to 2HKO SpDef Palkia.

+1 0 SpA Dread Plate Arceus-Dark Judgment vs. 252 HP / 252 SpD Palkia: 159-187 (41.4 - 48.6%) -- 77% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock

That's with no SpAtt investment O_o. Recover is Recover. Now, Refresh is a big move on this set, letting Darceus not give any fucks about status (which is always good considering all the Toxic >_>). It's one of the few Arceus formes that can fit this into its moveset, as other CM Arceus, namely Eleceus and Ghosteus, have types that are immune to their Judgement. But, nothing is immune to Dark. Also, it is very nice STAB, as Steel doesn't resist it anymore and it hits SpDef walls SE (most notably Lugia). This lets it be argueably the best Arceus forme VS Stall, which is always nice.

Overall, I think it is very underrated and is very helpful versus Stall. I've been using it along with SD Mega Scizor, which beats non-HP Fire Xerneas and Clefable. Its been working very well, and Darceus is definitely underrated and deserves to be acknowledged for its ability.
 
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Nidoqueen @ Leftovers
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Toxic Spikes
- Roar
- Poison Jab
- Earthquake

Nidoqueen coming through. I've been messing around with this and it's actually pretty viable (I'll probably nominate it for C rank some time). It's a solid Geomancy Xerneas check/counter (Psyshock excluded). Also, it has Toxic Spikes and since every team carries a Fairy-type it pretty much gets the opportunity to set them up every match. She also absorbs them herself unlike Forretress / Weezing which is pretty useful as well. In addition, she also has a Ground-typing to absorb Bolt Strikes and Volt Switches from Zekrom and friends. Also Mega Gengar can't really trap it unlike most Xerneas counters, even with Shadow Ball / Hidden Power Fire which are rare it won't. Sludge Bomb does about 10% and Focus Blast does does less than 20%, and if they carry Shadow Ball it does about 35%. On the other hand, Earthquake OHKOes so that makes the Taunt / Destiny Bond game for Mega Gengar pretty hard as well.

Here's a list of things it can set up Toxic Spikes on: Xerneas, bulky Dialga, Klefki, Scizor, Zekrom sometimes, Arceus-Fairy, Genesect, Lugia, Sylveon, Thundurus, Arceus-Poison, Bronzong, Tyranitar, Aegislash, Arceus-Rock, Blissey, Terrakion, and some more things that I never see.

Moveset is still a little in progress, I've been using this but other options are: Rest somewhere. Nidoqueen's biggest flaw (besides its meh stats) is no recovery and Rest + Cleric fixes that. Wish Support also works fine but if you can't fit that for some reason but you can fit a cleric and you want recovery, try Rest. Fire Blast might also work somewhere to hit Scizor and Ferrothorn if you hate those.

Steve Angello and Piexplode can attest to Nidoqueen's viability.

Edit: calcs for Melee Mewtwo:

+2 252+ SpA Fairy Aura Xerneas Moonblast vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Nidoqueen: 183-216 (47.6 - 56.2%) -- 30.5% chance to 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
0 SpA Pixie Plate Arceus-Fairy Judgment vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Nidoqueen: 60-72 (15.6 - 18.7%) -- possible 8HKO after Leftovers recovery
4 Atk Klefki Play Rough vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Nidoqueen: 45-54 (11.7 - 14%) -- possibly the worst move ever
0 SpA Pixilate Sylveon Hyper Voice vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Nidoqueen: 54-65 (14 - 16.9%) -- possible 9HKO after Leftovers recovery

252 SpA Mega Gengar Focus Blast vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Nidoqueen: 64-76 (16.6 - 19.7%) -- possible 7HKO after Leftovers recovery
252 SpA Mega Gengar Shadow Ball vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Nidoqueen: 129-153 (33.5 - 39.8%) -- 19% chance to 3HKO after Leftovers recovery
0 SpA Aegislash-Blade Shadow Ball vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Nidoqueen: 99-117 (25.7 - 30.4%) -- 0.7% chance to 4HKO after Leftovers recovery
144 SpA Fist Plate Arceus-Fighting Judgment vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Nidoqueen: 68-81 (17.7 - 21%) -- possible 7HKO after Leftovers recovery
0 Atk Toxic Plate Arceus-Poison Poison Jab vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Nidoqueen: 33-40 (8.5 - 10.4%) -- possibly the worst move ever
0 SpA Stone Plate Arceus-Rock Judgment vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Nidoqueen: 60-72 (15.6 - 18.7%) -- possible 8HKO after Leftovers recovery
8 SpA Dialga Draco Meteor vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Nidoqueen: 160-190 (41.6 - 49.4%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Leftovers recovery
4 Atk Ferrothorn Gyro Ball (69 BP) vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Nidoqueen: 79-94 (20.5 - 24.4%) -- possible 6HKO after Leftovers recovery
252 Atk Adaptability Mega Lucario Iron Tail vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Nidoqueen: 264-312 (68.7 - 81.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252 Atk Terrakion Close Combat vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Nidoqueen: 109-129 (28.3 - 33.5%) -- 93.8% chance to 4HKO after Leftovers recovery
252 SpA Life Orb Thundurus Grass Knot (80 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Nidoqueen: 88-105 (22.9 - 27.3%) -- possible 5HKO after Leftovers recovery
252 SpA Life Orb Thundurus Hidden Power Ice vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Nidoqueen: 133-159 (34.6 - 41.4%) -- 64.1% chance to 3HKO after Leftovers recovery
4 Atk Tyranitar Payback (100 BP) vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Nidoqueen: 156-184 (40.6 - 47.9%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Leftovers recovery
 
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Disaster Area

formerly Piexplode
I'd slash fire blast with roar on that lol. It's an alright mon I guess tho, I'm not sure what to think of toxic spiking in this meta tho but still
 

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